Just Us
by Seductive Venus
Summary: Watanuki meets his family at last. -crossover with Cardcaptor Sakura-


**Just Us**

Watanuki Kimihiro was always wondering nowadays. Though he was happy to have a home in Yuuko Ichihara's magical multi-dimensional shop, he couldn't help but wonder where he lived before.

There he was fed, clothed and bathed in exchange for a few menial household chores that he actually liked. He worked hard, kept house and helped his employer in everything with a few protests now and then which he did in principle. But it was strange because he knew he did not live inside the shop ever since he was born.

Asking Yuuko these things weren't helpful. She always evaded it by answering with a question of her own or by sending him off on another errand. The all-seeing and all-powerful Witch of Dimensions was a trickster queen.

Watanuki didn't mind at all. But sometimes he wished that she could just look in his eyes and tell him the truth without confusing mind games or evasive illusions. A bit of honesty now and then would be greatly appreciated.

Now he lived and breathed the magic shop. He didn't need to go to school. (Doumeki Haruka had enrolled him in a home-schooling program. It irked him but at the same time he was glad. He didn't know what he could do if he was in the real world again. Except of course there was Kunogi Himawari in that place…)

The shop was so big and so mysterious. Everyday was an adventure in it. So he couldn't say that he was bored when there was so much to do.

Yet on quiet and lazy days like this, Watanuki could spend an afternoon wondering under the blue summer sky.

Yuuko was away for the day. She had some business to attend to that didn't need his presence. He was quite glad because it meant that it was an off day for him.

So he spent the morning playing and teasing Marudashi and Morodashi before tucking them in for an afternoon nap. Mokona lay on his stomach, blowing nose bubbles and sleeping. He had found a book about a girl named Alice and it was about her adventures in a place called Wonderland.

He'd stopped after a few pages because the clouds seemed more interesting. (And the classic children's story seemed comparatively tame to the world-hopping adventures his other self had.)

Watanuki wished he knew more about his past.

It seemed that his memories of his early life had vanished. Yuuko had explained that it was payment. But he wished he knew what he paid for.

He theorized that he couldn't really want something he never remembered having. But he still did. He still wanted those early memories because he felt so _incomplete_. The dark-haired boy sighed. He could make out a rabbit-shaped cloud in the sky. It was so slow and peaceful today…

"Is anyone here?"

Watanuki got up as quickly as he could. He wondered who it could be. The magical shop that granted wishes weren't visible to normal mortals. Only those who had the strongest wishes could find it. Only those who need it can enter it.

So hearing a melodic young woman's voice was quite a surprise.

"I'm sorry but the owner is not here today," Watanuki started to say. He started when he saw a pale young woman about his height but definitely older than he was. She had long dark hair and clear violet eyes. She was dressed in a summer dress and on her hand was a small envelope. He stepped back involuntarily when she smiled.

He didn't know but that smile was very familiar. It was beautiful and kind and so warm… The dark-haired boy relaxed around her. His body remembered the soft and warm feelings he had around someone like her.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked slowly.

The young woman beamed. "I have a wish but you cannot grant it."

Watanuki started. He stared at her, thinking hard. She was a familiar face, a remembered name. He wished that he could remember why. "Please come in. I can't but perhaps my boss can. She always does. Yuuko-san will be back soon."

"Thank you," she answered politely.

He led her inside the large traditional waiting room quietly. It seemed strangely empty without his lazy mistress lounging in her chaise lounge. With an encouraging smile, he said that he would prepare snacks and tea. She smiled in thanks.

A while later, Watanuki returned to the waiting room with a tray. He nearly dropped it when he saw the young woman and Mokona conversing in such familiar tones. Shocked, he approached them.

"Mokona! You're so rude," he chided. The dark-haired young man smiled at the young woman. "Please excuse the black meat-bun for his rudeness. Have a slice of cake and red tea."

"Thank you," she replied softly.

They ate snacks quietly. He sneaked glances every now and then. She always smiled at him. It was a mysterious sort of smile that made him wonder if she knew more about him than he initially thought.

"So, aren't you going to ask my name?" She broke the silence.

He blushed lightly. "I-I don't think I can. Names and birthdays are powerful things. If you do that, you're handing yourself over to me."

The woman leaned forward to stare at him intently. He gazed at her with curious eyes. She giggled. "I trust you. I'm Daidouji Tomoyo. It's nice to meet you."

Watanuki's eyes widened. So that was why he thought she was familiar! She was the famous businesswoman that he kept seeing on television all the time. He realized that she was a very important person.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you're a VIP!" he sounded panicky. The dark-haired boy made a move to get up but she laid a hand on his arm before he could. Her smile persuaded him to sit down. "What are you here for, Daidouji-sama?"

"I'm here for you," Tomoyo answered quietly. A heartbeat later, she continued. "I was worried."

"Do we… know each other?" Watanuki exclaimed, flabbergasted.

"Yes, we do. Or at least we did. Time flies, doesn't it?" the beautiful woman murmured as she stroked Mokona's fur. Her violet-blue eyes were nostalgic. "She mentioned that your memories were washed away. I had accepted the fact that you'll forget about me too."

"Who are you?" The dark-haired boy asked seriously.

Tomoyo smiled cheerfully. "I'm Tomoyo, your aunt."

Watanuki stared.

"It's hard to believe, I know," she continued in the same cheerful tone "but I am. Your mother entrusted you to me. I've been taking care of you until you left saying that you want to be independent and on your own…"

"I did?" he said, struggling to accept the new information. He frowned hard. It sounded ridiculous and logical at the same time. "Why didn't you contact me if you were my only relative?"

"It's been agreed," Tomoyo answered as she reached forward to take his hand "that she will care for you when that time comes. She'll protect you when we can't. I've got no magic. She has."

Watanuki had no doubt that "she" was Yuuko.

"It's best for us to stay behind," the dark-haired woman said quietly "so that we can let you grow. Parents know when to step back. It's the best decision, I think."

"But you're my family!" Watanuki said loudly. "How could you leave me alone? Why'd you let me live in some stranger's house? Why didn't you look for me?"

"It was the best decision," Tomoyo repeated. "You enrolled into this school on your own. You decided to leave Tomoeda behind. You're the one who said that we've got to let you have your independence… Sometimes I regret letting you go. But seeing your father lived alone for three years in an apartment as a child, I had no doubt that you can. You deserve your independence."

Watanuki couldn't help but look upwards to prevent tears from rolling down his cheeks. He managed to murmur, "So you're an aunt."

"I'm your mother's cousin," she replied softly. Mokona jumped into her lap. She hugged it to her full bosom with the saddest smile he'd even seen. "She asked me and your uncle to look after you if anything ever happened to them. It happened. So we did."

"An uncle… I have one!" Watanuki's face cleared.

"Yes, he's your mother's brother and my cousin," Tomoyo grinned. She tucked a stray strand of hair into the back of her ear. "He also sees spirits but he gave it up long ago. That was before you were even born…"

"So it was in the family, huh?" the boy had to smile.

She nodded, smiling. "It's all in the family. Don't look so surprised Kimihiro-kun. I've grown up around it all, especially the magic."

"The magic or the family?" Watanuki muttered under his breath. He didn't even need to add the word "weirdness". But he colored at the familiar usage of his given name. It sounded so good and so right with her.

"Both," Tomoyo answered with a happy smile.

He looked down and noticed that she hadn't let go of his hand. Instead of feeling offended, he covered it and tightened his hold. Now that things were becoming clearer to him, he didn't need to wonder. He could just ask.

oOoOoOo

Yuuko arrived just in time. She saw the tall figure with chocolate-brown hair leaning on the gate. A smile leaped up to her lips. She'd know him anywhere.

"Why don't you come in?" she asked in a quiet tone.

He jumped. The young and handsome man gave her a suspicious look before shaking his head. "I can't. I don't have a wish."

"Your companion did," Yuuko said sweetly "or shall I say your wife?"

Touya Kinomoto colored. He never liked the Witch of Dimensions. She always made fun of them. "Yes, I know! But that doesn't mean I can follow. I don't need to ask anything from _you_."

"You'll hate being indebted to me," she murmured airily. Her eyes flicked up to his annoyed expressions with amusement. "Won't you, Touya-kun?"

They stopped talking to look at the front door. It opened to reveal a smiling couple. Watanuki was talking and laughing with that young woman. They seemed to have so much fun in spite of the knowledge that their time had come to an end. The dark-haired boy walked with her until the gate while telling a funny story.

Yuuko smiled to herself.

Touya glanced at her and wondered how in the world she got a hold of the newest digital camera that Daidouji Company had just produced. It cost thousands of dollars as far as he knew. It wasn't even in the market yet.

She lifted it up and gazed at them through the viewfinder. With a press of a button and a quick flash, they were captured in a picture. "There. Her payment's complete."

Tomoyo's wish was simple, in her opinion. Just to meet Watanuki Kimihiro one more time.

"Kimihiro needs family time sometimes," Touya muttered for her ears alone "He needs to spend some time with just us."

Yuuko merely smiled.

It was inevitable anyway for Watanuki to be reunited with his family. She truly believed that nothing was coincidence but only _histuzen_. Then she can bet that when that happened, Watanuki will understand.

oOoOoOo

A/N: I had an idea where Watanuki was actually cared for by Tomoyo and/or Touya while he was too young to care for himself. It was obvious that he lost his parents at a young age so it was only logical to pack him off to a relative. Those relatives have to be truly trusted by his parents. Guess who? All in all, it's a theory that I'll keep holding on to.

(022409)


End file.
